Wildlife activists urge govt to expedite setting up sea turtle research centre near Rushikulya

Berhampur: Wildlife activists have urged the Odisha govt to expedite the setting up of the country's first exclusive sea turtle research centre near Rushikulya river mouth, a major mass nesting site for endangered Olive Ridley turtles.

The proposal, initiated last year, identified a 3.5-acre govt plot near Purunabandh in Ganjam district. The location was chosen for its proximity to Berhampur University and the regional centre of the Zoological Survey of India, along with good communication facilities.

"It's crucial for the govt to take immediate steps to advance this project," said Rabindra Nath Sahu, secretary of the Rushikulya Sea Turtle Protection Committee. His appeal comes after recent visits by governor Hari Babu Kambhampati and chief secretary Manoj Kumar Ahuja to witness the mass hatching of Olive Ridleys at the rookery.

Biswajit Mohanty of the Wildlife Society of Odisha emphasized that the centre would facilitate research on various aspects of sea turtles and other marine species along the Odisha coast. "The facility would attract both Indian and international researchers interested in turtle migration patterns and behaviour," he added.

Berhampur divisional forest officer Sunny Khokkar said that the proposal is under active consideration by the govt. The forest department has already submitted the necessary documentation.

The urgency for the research centre is highlighted by this year's record-breaking nesting season, with approximately 900,000 Olive Ridleys laying eggs in two phases at the Rushikulya rookery. The mass hatching, which began last Thursday, concluded on Tuesday.